JAIPUR: The decision to keep up to class IX shut has again put private schools in a difficult position. Already faced with non-payment of fees, private schools now worry that the problem will rise again.
According to school authorities, classes from VI and above will be affected as those below are still continuing with online lessons. After the interim order of the Supreme Court in which parents were asked to pay 100% fees, parents had started depositing the amount, but schools fear that the current situation will have an adverse impact.
School Shiksha Pariwar president Anil Sharma said, “Not more than 20% parents have paid fees. Usually, only after the final examination, the parents pay the fees and with the threat of lockdown again, our livelihood is in turmoil.”
He said an emergency meeting was called by the school authorities on Monday in which they decided to ask the government to allow students living outside containment zones to schools for consultation.
Sharma said, “We have given a week’s ultimatum to the government after which we will start protesting in front of the MLA bungalows all across Rajasthan. Most big schools with fees in lakhs will not be impacted by this but only the lower middle-class schools.”
Society for Unaided Private Schools of Rajasthan president Damodar Goyal said the final judgment of Supreme Court will settle the matter of school fees. “We are with the government regarding the decision and online classes seems to be the only alternative. Judgment of the Supreme Court will actually put an end to the problem of fees,” said Goyal.
Parents on the other hand are finding themselves to be stuck again to pay fees for online classes. Abhishek Jain Bittu, spokesperson of Rajasthan Abhibhavak Sangh, said he has been getting calls from parents who are not happy to pay fees just for online classes.
“Already pandemic has broken people financially. Every school has increased the fee this year despite the pandemic. We do not pay fee just for sitting in front of the computer, but also for the facilities provided in the schools,” said Bittu.
Preparations for online classes have begun. Many schools have sent messages to students that their online accounts in various software will be created soon and passwords will be shared with them so that classes will begin from Tuesday.